FAIRHAVEN -- For Matthew Oliveira, the Matty Oliveira Memorial Fund is the best way he found to cope with the death of his son in a go-cart accident more than two years ago.

For many young sports lovers in town, the fund means the difference between being on the field or staying home.

During the past two years, Mr. Oliveira has single-handedly created the Hastings Middle School sports program, helped save freshman sports at Fairhaven High School and contributed money to develop other sports programs and keep them afloat.

"My uncle epitomizes the spirit of the true volunteer," said Justin Alves, a Fairhaven High School student. "He was a man who was able to take a devastating tragedy and build something positive, even out of the worst circumstances."

For his dedication to the development of youth sports in Fairhaven, Mr. Oliveira is being named The Standard-Times 2005 Fairhaven Man of the Year.

Nominations for the award came from the community and members of the newspaper staff. Recipients were selected by a newsroom committee.

Justin Alves nominated his uncle for the award.

"I'm very excited about it, I'm moved actually," Mr. Oliveira, 43, said upon learning about his nomination. He is a lifelong Fairhaven resident and the father of Allison, 14, a Hastings cheerleader.

After Matty died at 13 more than two years ago in the West Island accident, the distraught father created the memorial fund because "Matty" enjoyed a variety of sports, especially football and basketball.

"I wanted to keep my life going in a positive way," Mr. Oliveira said. "That was a promise I made to my son. It enables me to feel like I'm still able to do for my son, and also I like kids, and it's helping them."

As a result, with the help of his wife, Katy, Mr. Oliveira started several community fundraising events, including two golf tournaments, a cocktail party in November and a March Madness event.

"The support has been phenomenal, it's really amazing," Mr. Oliveira said. "We raised over $50,000 this year."

With the proceeds, last year Mr. Oliveira created the basketball program at Hastings. This year he will create baseball and football programs.

Last summer, he supported and financed the Recreation Center's track and field program for younger children. This fall, he helped establish a football team.

He has purchased mats for the high school cheerleaders and a scoreboard for the football team, among other initiatives that include a scholarship program.

When the Fairhaven schools eliminated sports programs earlier this year as a result of a $1.17 million budget cut, Mr. Oliveira came to the rescue again and funded the freshman football program.

Mr. Oliveira said he decided to help the program to maintain the continuity with the Hastings programs. He said eliminating the program "would totally defeat what we've accomplished with the feeder program" at Hastings.

"We've been able to do a lot with the kids in town," he said, thanking all for the community and family support.

"My uncle is a hero in my eyes because of the courageous way he was able to handle the tragedy faced by his family," Justin Alves wrote in his nomination. "My uncle taught me that family is not just relatives but the community of people who love and support you through all aspects of life."